TB Alert

Charity information

TB Alert

TB is one of the top three killer diseases worldwide (along with Malaria and HIV). One quarter of all preventable deaths in adults under 65 are due to tuberculosis, and it kills more women than all causes of maternal mortality combined (source WHO). Around the world Tuberculosis kills more than two million people every year, even though it is a curable disease. TB takes its highest toll on the poorest and most marginalised in society. At the same time it makes them poorer because they cannot work and subjects them to further stigma and discrimination. Most people die of TB because they don’t know they can be cured or can’t access treatment due to poverty, stigma or discrimination.

TB Alert is the UK's National Tuberculosis Charity. We aim to raise awareness of the disease in the UK to prevent the unecessary suffering, transfer of infection and even deaths caused by late diagnosis. TB is on the increase in the UK – it was never eradicated - but because even doctors don't always expect it or recognise it cases are regularly missed. We also help patients through their treatment with information, advice and financial support for those who need it. Our initiatives focus on helping to ensure that patients continue their treatment to completion and avoid the risk of drug resistance. In developing countries we support local NGOs and other organisations to build innovative and sustainable TB control programmes which focus on the social and cultural issues around curing TB. Our priority is increasing detection of TB and therefore the number of people accessing treatment. We work with marginalised groups such as women, refugees, people with HIV, and people in remote or difficult-to-service regions, ensuring that treatment is accessible to patients so that they are not prevented from continuing their work, education and looking after their families.